easy
The rain stopped; the team returned to the field.
What does Semicolon mean?
A semicolon is the mark ; used between related complete clauses or between complicated list items.
Dictionary definition
A semicolon is the punctuation mark ;. In prose, it can separate closely related independent clauses or divide items in a list when those items already contain commas. The same symbol also has specialized jobs in some computer languages.
Example sentences
Semicolon in a sentence
medium
The semicolon shows that two complete clauses are closely connected.
hard
The tour visited Kingston, Ontario; Montréal, Quebec; and Halifax, Nova Scotia.
hard
In that programming language, each statement ends with a semicolon.
Writing practice
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Quick practice
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Practice the meaning of Semicolon
Answer three quick questions about its meaning and related words.
Question 1 of 3
Practice 1
What does semicolon mean?
A semicolon can separate related independent clauses and clarify lists whose items contain commas.
Practice 2
Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly between two independent clauses?
Both sides can stand as complete sentences, and their meanings are closely related.
Practice 3
Why are semicolons useful in this list: 'London, Ontario; Paris, France; Lima, Peru'?
The stronger separators make the boundaries between city-country pairs clear.
Practice complete
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Pronunciation coach
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Semicolon
Voice settings
Sounds like
sem · ee · koh · lun (us); sem · ee · koh · lon (uk also) · strongest beat: sem
Tap each sound part, then blend the whole word together.
Learn
WordSemicolon.
Partnoun.
MeaningSemicolon means A semicolon is the mark ; used between related complete clauses or between complicated list items.
ExampleExample: The rain stopped; the team returned to the field.
Word breakdown
7 syllables. Say each part, then blend the word.
- Syllables
- sem · ee · koh · lun (us); sem · ee · koh · lon (uk also)
- Strongest beat
- sem
- Ending
- lon (uk also)
- Tip
- Put a little extra energy on sem.
Your turn
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Synonym review
Does Semicolon have synonyms?
Punctuation mark is the broader category. Divider and connector describe jobs, while comma, colon, and period name different marks with different rules.
Antonym review
Does Semicolon have an opposite?
A semicolon has no direct antonym. A period or comma may be an alternative in a rewritten sentence, but neither is an opposite mark.
Word family
Semicolon word family
Base word
semicolon
noun
semicolons
The regular plural form of semicolon.
Related words
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Student support
Understand Semicolon
Hint for students
For the clause rule, check that both sides could stand alone as sentences. For a list, look for commas already inside each item.
Common mix-up
Do not place a semicolon between a dependent clause and the clause it depends on. A semicolon is not simply a stronger comma, and coding rules vary by language.
Try it in class or at home
Students repair four punctuation examples, two clause pairs and two complex lists. For each repair, they name the rule and explain why a comma alone would be unclear or incorrect.
Teacher prompt
When does a semicolon clarify a relationship better than a comma? Compare related independent clauses with a list containing internal commas.
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